Time Between Us

When love is truly timeless

BookPage® Review by Angela Leeper

Time Between Us, Tamara Ireland Stone’s thrilling debut novel, features a determined 16-year-old Anna Greene, who rarely leaves her Chicago suburb. A Time Traveler’s Wife for young adults, it’s set in 1995 with Anna reveling in the lyrics of Green Day and Phish and dreaming of journeying around the world. When quiet and enigmatic new student Bennett Cooper arrives, she just may get more than she ever imagined. He comes from far away—in more ways than one. Bennett’s not only from San Francisco, but he was born in 1995 and presently is living in 2012.

Forced to tell Anna his secret ability, he also reveals that he has come back in time to correct a time-traveling mistake he caused. But just how he time travels, the parameters of his travel and why another version of Bennett suddenly appears all remain mysteries to be solved as the teens explore his gift—and each other. At first, time travel seems idyllic, allowing them to skip class or explore a secluded tropical island in the middle of winter, but when Anna’s best friend ends up in the hospital, they must test the limits of Bennett’s ability and morality.

Just as time travel allows Anna to see life beyond Illinois, her grounded, loving family with deep roots in the community shows loner Bennett a world that doesn’t exist on a map. When their love separated by time takes its toll on the couple, however, Anna must decide between two futures (or is it pasts?). Even in the name of love, the resilient teen must also find self-reliance. This quick-paced romance allows readers to explore the possibilities when time and love have no limits.